RelaxView.info
Relax and Enjoy Your Life.

The main message of the story about the emperor who had no clothes is the fact that having power means you can get away with things most folks wouldn?t think of trying. If the emperor says he has clothes on, better to agree with him.

No matter how attached the emperor becomes to the comfortable suit of nakedness though, sooner or later, someone will tell him the truth.

A name resembles clothing in some ways because it is something you wear.

The world?s only reigning superpower, some would say the greatest empire of all time, has no name. Regardless of how attached that nation has become to its descriptive term, as demonstrated by the song ?America the Beautiful? for example, this is the simple truth.

A name is something people use in part to wield control over a person, animal, object, concept. It identifies, objectifies, locates. In a way, the thing named becomes available for manipulation through its name.

?The United States of America? is not a name. It?s a descriptive term with an approximate location.

?The term ?united states? is used throughout the world by many countries because many countries are made up of states that have united. But in the case of all other countries, when using the term ?united states?, reference is then made to the country, such as ?the united states of Indonesia? meaning ?the united states which together make up the country of Indonesia?. The ?of? has a completely different meaning from the ?of? in ?United States of America? where it means ?the united states which are located in America.?

And, if ?United States? had been intended as a proper noun by that country?s founding fathers, then it would not be necessary to add ?of America?. ?Of America? means that of all the states that have united into a country, this particular one is located in America.

So, the ?of America? part of the designation means the ?United States? part is not intended as a proper noun.

Over the past two centuries or so, the entire world, or almost, has used the term ?Americans? to refer to the inhabitants of that country, you know, the one squished in between Mexico and Canada. In doing so, they?ve been more or less unaware that they are using the term by default because the country has no name. ?America? is the name of the western hemisphere comprising North and South America, it is not, never has been, the name of a country.

The entire world that is, except for other Americans, such as me. As a Canadian, I was never really able to put a finger on the reason for the niggling feeling that something wasn?t right whenever I, or anyone else used the term ?American? when speaking of someone from the US.

I felt oddly gratified to learn that South Americans refer to ?Americans? as ?United Statesians? in Spanish. The term, however, just doesn?t fly in English. Besides, it?s no more accurate than ?Americans?.

To my mind, there is no question that a thing of this magnitude happened by oversight or accident, as if the founding fathers of that great country had not thought it through properly, any more than the symbolism on the American one dollar bill happened by accident.

Paul Freynet is a writer by vocation and a thinker by nature. Visit his web site at: http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/towerview/

Price : $8.99

Product Description

The printed edition for Collectors: The complete transcripts of Barack Obama’s Acceptance Speech at the DNC 2008 and Barack Obama’s Announcement Speech on his VP-Pick Joe Biden

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-10-29
A FAMILIAR REFRAIN. Are you kidding me? A black man should be playing basketball or football, not running and ruining the greatest country in the world.

Review date : 2008-10-17
He is the one. He will win. Barack Obama will be our next president.
Change!

Just the opposite of forgotten! A whirlwind of interest from the mid 20th century modern minded interior designer is in full speed ahead! From the boomerang, atomic, and the starburst shapes to the cylindrical lines and the ethnic influences?..it?s all in high demand. The history behind California Potteries is a driving force for their growth in popularity and price.

During World War II with the ban on imports in place, many entrepreneurs saw the opportunity to open shop to design and create their own pottery lines??.many of which are mentioned below. Sadly, many of these potteries closed down by the early 1950?s with post-war imports from Italy and Japan creating fierce competition. Only a few of them survived into the 1960?s.

I first came to know about California Pottery when I stumbled across a book by author, Jack Chipman, titled ?Collector?s Encyclopedia of California Pottery ? second edition?. My eyes were opened to some very spectacular artists? lives with very interesting backgrounds and stories that I think needs to be told to art & design enthusiasts. Thanks to people like Jack Chipman, their stories and designs are documented and kept alive!

My collecting first began with California Pottery pieces designed by Sascha Brastoff, then Marc Bellaire, Matt Adams, Barbara Willis, Brayton Laguna, Ann Cochran, Maxine Cloud, Madeline Originals, Bell of California, Hedi Schoop, Howard Pierce, Rockwell Kent, Charles and Alice Smith, and DeForest of California.

One of my favorites is Barbara Willis. She owned an early to mid 20th century pottery company that was very successful. Some of her early pottery pieces were made of earthenware and were referred to as her ?Terrene? line which means ?of the earth?. The bright crackled glazes of candle holders, boxes, vases, jugs, and horse figurines are highly sought out by avid ?BW? collectors. Her vintage lines are simple, somewhat primitive in style, yet so contemporary. It?s no wonder that she was awarded the ?Living Legend Award? at the Los Angeles Pottery Show in February of 2006. She sold much of her work to some of the top department stores such as Gumps, Macy?s, and Neiman Marcus, to name a few. She is currently creating her contemporary line in Malibu. You can view Barbara Willis? profile by visiting www.AccessoryHut.com, click on ARTISTS, and then click on her name. If you would like to meet Barbara Willis in person, she will be attending the September 2006 Los Angeles Pottery Show in Pasadena. Stop by her booth and purchase some of her outstanding contemporary pieces from clay medallion necklaces to eye-catching press-molded chargers, low bowls and vases. If you would like more information about Barbara Willis? scheduled exhibits, email the gallery at Shop@AccessoryHut.com or contact Barbara Willis directly from her profile page.

Another favorite of mine is Marc Bellaire who used to work under Sascha Brastoff before venturing out on his own to open his ceramics business in Culver City, California. He was listed in the leading trade publication, ?Giftwares?, as being one of the top ten artware designers of the late fifties. I especially favor the ?Luau? and ?Hawaiian? lines he designed.

In his final days, he created in his studio in Cathedral City, California, just outside of Palm Springs. Marc Bellaire died in 1994

And let?s not forget Hedi Schoop! She was a prominent ceramics artist from North Hollywood during the 40?s and 50?s. In 1933, she fled Nazi Germany with her well known husband, Frederick Hollander, the Academy award winning composer. In 1958 her plant was shut down due to a fire. Hedi Schoop was born in Switzerland in 1906 and died in North Hollywood in 1996.

The list of California Potters is a long one with many stories to tell. When accessorizing your home with collections of art pottery, one should consider one or more of these fabulous potters. I like to think of it as a way to preserve a part of our history. Let?s not forget an important, artistic time in our country! Keep the history alive!

Alice Krueser is the owner of http://www.AccessoryHut.com, an online art gallery that promotes the arts and its members of the Directory of Artists to the design industry as well as the general public. The gallery’s slogan: Home Decor with Yesterday’s & Today’s Artists in Mind. A great source for art history, design tips, and a directory of interior designers. Sign up to receive the gallery?s newsletter titled ?Art Promotion in Motion? that promotes artists, designers, and events. Member artists are given complimentary use of the gallery?s shopping cart where interior designers and the general public can purchase art directly from the artist. Member artists never pay gallery commissions. The gallery strategically brings the artist together with the interior designer at one site. It?s a win, win relationship!

Price : $198.00

Features

• Feel like youve been to the spaevery daywith the Legs Beautician foot and calf digital LCD screen massager.
• The foot and calf massager features invigorating, kneading disks that squeeze and deeply penetrate leg muscles.
• Soothing vibration helps improve circulation and energize muscles.
• Pressure nodes located under the soles of your feet stimulate the vital reflexology pressure points.
• A similar foot and calf massager is selling for $399 at Brookstone.com

Product Description

Enjoy the luxury and soothing benefits of a professional-quality foot and calf massage right in your own home. This massager massages away tension and fatigue from your feet, calves and ankles. Spend a few minutes with this massager, and your whole body will feel more relaxed and limber all day. This foot and calf massager hits all the right spots. 1. An entirely new massager specifically designed to massage your feet, ankles and calves all at the same time.2. 4 kneading discs in one appliance massage your feet, ankles and calves.3. Flexible kneading discs create a professional massage experience.4. Strong kneading action penetrates deeply into the muscles of your feet, ankles and calves.5. In addition, a vibration board effectively massages the soles and muscles of your feet.6. Pressure nodes located under your feet stimulate the reflex points on the soles of your feet.7. Personal preference of 3 kneading massage programs and 3 vibration modes.8. The synergetic combination of kneading and vibratory actions gives you a most relaxing and revitalizing massage experience, while achieving a beneficial reflexology and beautifying effect.9. Strategically located buttons on the switch panel allow you to control the massage function easily.10. Auto shut-off feature activates after the massager has been in use for 15 minutes.A pair of detachable fabric covers (with zipper) allow for cleaning to maintain good hygiene.11. LCD display, green backlight *This is the latest model with the LCD screen upgrade. Please notice some models from other sellers do not have this feature.Product Details:Voltage: AC110V/120VPower Consumption: 90 wattsWashable, easy to remove fabric coverUL-ListedConditions: Brand new in nicely packed double boxes, never used (not refurbished)Warranty: We offer a 90 days limited warranty for any defects. This should be a simple and reliable maintenance free machine.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-12-14
OMG! Best investment I ever made! It is just so relaxing! The only problem is the rest of my family thinks so too! So I’m sharing whether I want to or not!

Review date : 2008-09-24
I love the product! It massages the lower legs and feet. Sometimes you may need to "adjust" how you are sitting or placing your legs for the best massage. The vibrating bottom is awesome on the feet, as well. Your legs do feel relaxed following and the feet. I do this every night for ten minutes before bed to help with restless leg syndrome. I keep mine at the foot of my bed. I place my legs in and lay back onto the bed with a couple of pillows and tune in to whatever show we are watching. After ten minutes….my legs are relaxed and no tossing and turning all night. AWESOME!

Your first thought when you read Alligator Farm might be tourist trap, but that could not be more inaccurate. And while the alligators are wonderful and plentiful at the place fondly referred to as the Gator Farm, it is the birds that attract the world’s best photographers.

The birds come each spring to the Gator Farm in St. Augustine, Florida, naturally. The gators keep tree-climbing prey away from the birds’ babies. While the gators sometimes hit the trees with their tails to knock eggs out of the nests, the birds know that their babies’ odds for survival are much better around the gators than without them.

The Gator Farm is home to a variety of bird species, including Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Roseate Spoonbills, Ibis, Great Blue, Tricolor, Black-Crowned and Yellow-Crowned Heron, and Wood Stork. The birds fly out of the area to collect sticks for nest building, pass them to their mate, build their nests, lay their eggs, and feed their young. You can photograph all of this activity to document their life-cycle story.

Round out your photography visit to the Gator Farm with a variety of other animals. The Farm is home to every living species of crocodilians in the world, including the 15-foot long Maximo and some albino gators. You’ll also see several different types of monkeys, toucans and parrots, and various other mammals. Don’t miss the feeding show usually at noon and 3:00 where the gators gobble some Brazilian River Rats — they crunch like popcorn.

Background and Directions

The Farm is about an hour south of the airport in Jacksonville, Florida. It is located at 999 Anastasia Boulevard, also known as Highway A1A, just across the Bridge of Lions, in St. Augustine. Specific driving directions are available on the Gator Farm website at www.alligatorfarm.com.

The Farm began in 1893, when two men started collecting alligators on Anastasia Island. It soon became a tourist attraction and the rest is history, literally (the Alligator Farm is listed on the National Register of Historical Places).

The daily entrance fee for adults in 2005 is $17.95, and the Farm opens to the public at 9 am. You can buy an annual photography pass for $59 to get in precisely at 8 am through the side red door. Don’t be late, or you’ll likely have to wait until 9 am. The pass also is your entrance fee to the Farm’s annual photography contest.

The park officially closes at 6 pm. Many of the Gator Farm employees take turns staying longer for photographers to shoot through sunset. Be sure to tip the volunteers generously on your way out, because the employees are not paid by the Farm for the extra time.

Shooting Tips

The bird rookery is in a swamp area perfect for raising bird families. The birds build their nests in the surrounding live oak trees or elderberry bushes. The area is accessed by a long boardwalk that puts you within feet of some of those nests. Because the birds have become accustomed to human visitors, you can get very close. Be sure to give adequate space to the nesting birds, though.

You’ll need a mid to long range telephoto lens to capture the birds on their nests. Lenses in the 400-800 mm give you the best opportunities to photograph the chicks once hatched. The fastest focusing lenses in the range of 100-400mm will allow you to grab flight shots.

Your biggest shooting challenge will be to get a clean background. The birds nest amongst the branches and leaves, so your shots may look cluttered. Look for opportunities to photograph the birds while on top of the bushes or where the background bushes are dark and full. Another approach is to zoom in tight so that your shot eliminates those intruders.

Take advantage of the photographer’s hours in the morning and evening. These times offer the best light and the other photographers are mindful of your purpose. Once the public arrives, which often includes groups of children, the boardwalk shakes a bit as tourists walk by. They rarely linger for long, however. Most of the birds nest on the east side of the boardwalk, so your best photographic opportunities are in the afternoon. Also, many birds return to their nests at the end of the day, so you can catch flight shots then, too.

The major bird activity generally begins in March. While the nesting season varies every year, chicks usually begin to arrive in April. By late May, you’ll capture many of the different phases at once since the various bird species have different nesting calendars. Many of the birds are gone by June or July, but this year the activity is still going strong into the summer months.

Additional Information

The Gator Farm website is www.alligatorfarm.com and is chock full of great information. It includes two webcams located in the rookery to get a glimpse of the bird activity. The Bird Rookery Yahoo Group provides up-to-date information on bird activity at the Gator Farm and the area. Information on how to sign up is available on the Gator Farm website. Amanda Whitaker, the Gator Farm manager, monitors the group and provides additional helpful information. We are indebted to Amanda for continuing to provide a wonderful place to photograph the birds.

In sum, the Gator Farm provides one of the most convenient, comfortable and exciting places to photograph a variety of birds and their activities. Hurry to catch the action there this year, and make plans to spend time there each year from now on. You won’t be disappointed.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Gator Farm is clean, well-maintained and provides great access to the animals. The snack bar on site sells a good variety of snacks and drinks. Restrooms are located next to the snack bar and by the entrance.

Lodging in St. Augustine is relatively expensive, but is available throughout the area. Some options near the Gator Farm are: Sleep Inn, Anastasia Inn, and Scottish Inn. In downtown St. Augustine, your options include the Comfort Suites, Days Inn, Hilton and Clarion Collection. Since traffic is not a problem, you can find viable lodging options on the outskirts of town, as well, including the World Golf Village - home to two golf courses and the World Golf Hall of Fame.

A trip to the Alligator Farm is fun and safe. The gators are kept securely behind barricades or swim below the boardwalk, so you don’t have to worry about your being dinner for them. The normal precautions about Florida sun should be followed - wear a hat, use sunscreen and drink lots of water.

The northeast coast of Florida offers wonderful photography opportunities, as well. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States, and is decorated with beautiful Spanish architecture. Additional good bird photography spots are scattered throughout the area - check Anastasia State Park next door to the Gator Farm and Merritt Island in Titusville, Florida.

Copyright 2005 Carolyn E. Wright All Rights Reserved

— ABOUT THE AUTHOR —

Carolyn E. Wright, Esq., has a unique legal practice aimed squarely at the needs of photographers. A pro photographer herself, Carolyn has the credentials and the experience to protect photographers. She?s represented clients in multimillion dollar litigations, but also has the desire to help new photographers just starting their careers. Carolyn graduated from Emory University School of Law with a Juris Doctor, and from Tennessee Tech Univ. with a Masters of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in music.

Carolyn wrote the book on photography law. ?88 Secrets to the Law for Photographers, by Carolyn and well-known professional photographer, Scott Bourne, is scheduled for fall 2005 release by Olympic Mountain School Press. Carolyn also is a columnist for PhotoFocus Magazine and Naturescapes.net.

Carolyn specializes in wildlife photography and her legal website is http://www.photoattorney.com

Price : $34.00

Features

• Treat your feet with HealthyToes Toe Stretchers! A new therapy that feels amazing and works to beautify, heal and strengthen your feet!
• These therapeutic Toe Stretchers are recommended for many serious conditions such as Foot Pain, Bunions, Hammer Toe, etc.
• Comes in a mesh carrying case so you can take them with you where ever you go.
• Wear them on the couch, in the tub, under your desk, at the gym, on the beach, Where ever you like!

Product Description

Healthytoes are composed of a special gel material that fits into the spaces between your toes to help open up your circulatory system. Healthytoes will exercise and condition your feet, and with daily use you will notice an improvement in the shape and s

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-12-08
I use this product along with Yamuna’s foot savers. The combination is fantastic! After work, I wear my toe spreaders and stand on my foot savers and within 5 min I’m feeling rejuvinated. Not only do my feet feel better, but my whole body feels lighter, I feel more alert, my stride is smoother, my posture is better and my lower back also feels better. I studied some polarity and they say that energy enters the body thru the feet. So take care of your feet!

Review date : 2008-11-16
I wear high heels during the day and yoga at night and I was wondering why my toes wouldn’t spread out… So I bought these Healthy Toes and have been wearing them for about 1/2 to 1 hour each night before I go to bed. I think my toes are getting better and are able to spread out when I try. I’m not sure if they "End foot pain bunions, Hammer Toe, etc." as they claim since I don’t have these problems, but they do stretch the webbing between your toes and I think everyone can use some of that. I think they are also a good preventative measure to foot problems. High heels really mess up your feet (even though they are so pretty).

Review date : 2008-11-02
Excellent product! I bought these for my fiancee, who has the typical city girl’s foot pain and bunion issues from wearing the fancy shoes all the time.

They take a little time to get used to. She could only wear them for ten minutes or so, then more and more time.

She loves them, and we’re getting healthy toes for her mother and my mother and her friends.

Make sure you buy the correct size, and you’ll be fine.

Review date : 2008-10-14
It took me three months before I finally purchased these Toe Stretchers and I’m so happy that I finally did. I have a spinal cord injury and my feet enjoy the stretch and movement. Use lotion to make it easier to slide them on.

Review date : 2008-10-13
My toes were nearing death. I had ankle pain, pain in the soles of my feet and pain in all toes. I didn’t know what to do, I told myself I have no time for foot care and concentrated healing and therapy. I read the reviews on Amazon and thought, oh wait, this (again) is a cure for people who have foot aches alien to mine. I avoided buying for five days but when the pain got really bad, I just expedited the delivery.

The packaging contains nothing but the two toe-soles and a small blue sheet of paper with instructions, the kind you read once and throw away.

I wear leather shoes with narrow noses. I walk more than a minimum of two miles everyday and walk more on weekends. I am your aggressive walker who likes to overtake everyone on the walk. I stand a lot because I am a salesman. I wore these the very first day and it caused nothing but pain for six minutes when I decided I had had enough of it and I slept. The manual clearly mentions that this will happen.

But lo and behold, on the walk to work, the pain had halved. I wore these for longer durations - sometimes keeping a gap of 2-3 days - sometimes even four days but I just had to wear them for 30 minutes every day and everything would be good.

I use it while watching a movie at home, whenever I feel like rewarding myself with a bath tub, when I’m surfing the internet and lying on my couch. These help to re-align your bones and if used a few times eliminates 85% of the pain no matter how bad it is.

The unmade poet
Is a born lunatic.
Like the Atlantic,
A flood of ideas
Undulate in his mind
And burst on his tongue
Like the waves of the shore
At the explosion of his thoughts
In the city avenues even!

Ordinary eyes
Judge him abnormal,
But wise ears heed his counsel.

Little brains
Grope with his words,
But evolved souls
Grasp his thoughts;
A scientific madman indeed!

He uses the philosophers’lab
For his lunatic researches.
He rushes to the mystics’asylum
For his dramatic experiments
And only few taste
His poetic philosophy.

Worthy brethren,brethren,
Cross the Man poet you may,
What a lunatic being, you’ll say!
Right or wrong you may be –
Why not seek ye first the key
That reveals the poetic will?

Mawutodzi Abissath
(Black Ideas)

SWIMMING AMONG THE BEAUTIES

How beautiful
It’s beautiful
To be beautiful
To beautiful people
To meet beautiful friends
To share beautiful ideas
In a beautiful fashion
For a beautiful purpose
In this beautiful world
So as to beautify
The beauty of beauties-
And that’s swimming
Among the beauties!

Mawutodzi Abissath (Black Ideas)

SUCH IS LIFE

Oh life! Wondrous life!
Life that operates
Under instructions unknown,
Such life is full of wonders.

Life that turns mountains of today
Into valleys of tomorrow,
Such life is full of wonders!

Life that changes masters of today
Into slaves of tomorrow,
Such life is full of wonders!

Life that turns judges of today
Into prisoners of tomorrow,
Such life is full of wonders!

Life that turns lovers of today
Into bitter foes of tomorrow,
Such life is full of wonders!

Oh!man of vanity, man of obscurity,
Be cautious in life;
For,life is full of mysteries!

Mawutodzi Abissath
(Black Ideas)
http://www.nyansah.blogspot.com

A Ghanian journalist, writer and poet.
Blog: http://www.nyansah.blogspot.com

Price : $9.68

Product Description

Barack Obamas greatest strength has been his ability to bring the country together in a meaningful dialog. For far too long the divisions among races, religions, cultures, and genders have prevented Americans from coming together to solve the most important problems of our generation:

• Environment and energy shortages
• Mortgage and housing crises
• War and terrorism
• Healthcare and Social Security
• Poverty in the worlds richest nation

As the Obama administration takes on the current economic crisis amid accusations of planning a socialist system, economics and political writer John R. Talbott argues that such complex problems found both at home and abroad cannot just be left to the actions of government or the free market business world, or the Bush administration’s version of Reagonomics that still sticks to a trickle-down policy.

The change that Talbott sees from a Barack Obama presidency is one based on justice and cooperation, principles that have not held sway in Washington, DC for a very long time. Obamanomics, infused with Obamas speeches, campaign policy statements, and other writings, describes not just a government but a NATION acting according to democratic principles to reform lobbying, banking, and housing as well as restore economic growth, address the healthcare system, improve education, and find solutions to our aging population and declining energy sources.

Once emphasis is placed on citizen involvement, real solutions become apparent to our most pressing problems. The American values of goodness, justice, and fairness is reflected in this man with roots from Kenya, Kansas, Hawaii, and Illinois can once again be incorporated into our economic and financial system.

A former investment banker for Goldman Sachs, John R. Talbott is the author of four books on economics and politics, including The Coming Crash in the Housing Market making him one of the first to predict the current housing and mortgage crisis. He has appeared on CNN, Fox News, CNBC, and CBS Marketwatch and has written for The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and the Boston Globe.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-12-14
I found this book very interesting but not quite what I expected. I was expecting a more detailed explanation of exactly why bottom up economics will work much better than trickle down has. With historical data or accepted financial theory to back it up. This is an argument I have been making for years and was hoping this would give me some concrete facts and statistics to support this idea. A lot of the book instead were suggestions by the author of how Obama should run his administration. I agree with much of it, though not all, but am still left with little historic proof of the concept.

I definitely recommend the book because as I said there are some very interesting ideas in it.

Review date : 2008-10-09
It sounds good, but if you really examine all the wonderful things Obama is going to do, it adds up to Socialism. All corporations are the bad guys and must be taxed and regulated, wealthy people demonized, economic justice that means taking away from one group to give to another. It’s stealing–just like Obama and Talbott like to say that corporations are doing. If enough people are swayed by this pro-Obama propaganda, we will all have to live with the results. After he soaks the corporations and the so-called rich people and can’t wring out any more blood, then he will come after you and soak you for the taxes he needs to fund his ‘economic justice’ and Socialist agenda.

Seniors would do well to read this book and see what Talbott claims Obama’s plan should include; withold medical care for people over 75 that may need end of life treatment. The reasoning? They are a drain on the “system” and productive people will have to pick up the tab. This goes beyond Socialism!

A quote comes to mind:

“The long road of history is lined with the ruins of nations which bought the souls of their people with the lure of a granted security, and then led them to ruin by that mirage. Security that is real and enduring is attained only by people who will accept their responsibility as duties to themselves and their fellow, and ask only that the State guard the avenues of freedom and keep them open.”
~ Dr. Russell J. Clinchy

Review date : 2008-10-04
This is perhaps the best summary of the issues facing America today - economic and political - that has ever been assembled in one place. The writing is concise, factual and well researched on a variety of topics - ranging from the current financial melt-down, to the cost and availability of healthcare, to the looming social security crunch. The analysis is crisp and logical, similar in style to “Freakonomics” by Levitt and Dubner. And while Obama’s positions are indicated, the underlying text would stand on its own without it. To some extent, the “Obamanomics” title is a pretext for a work of much larger importance.
While easy to digest, the simple fact that so many problems of immense proportions face the country is quite daunting and a little depressing.
This book should be required reading for every student, politician and Republican. These problems have been addressed by other nations whose resources are far more limited - why not in America?

Review date : 2008-09-17
I read this book with an open mind and a longing for the insights to Obama and while Talbott’s writing was clear, it was a bit naive. His insistence on economic justice as the fix to our financial issues is nothing more than redistribution of wealth. His disdain for Americans who want a 12000 square foot house and a Hummer reveals a deep bias. Of course no one needs that much space, but in this country we value liberty and freedom to choose. It’s not the governments place to decide what we need and/or want.
One of Obamas campaign promises is to raise taxes on the wealthy, those making over $250K a year. Talbott says the current system ‘gives money to top earners”, when in fact the system allows top earners to keep more of the money they have earned. I think this basic difference in economic viewpoint is what irked me the most, being one of those ‘lucky’ few that Obama considers rich. He seems to know that the ‘rich will not reinvest their extra money, they will put in a savings account. This is how it works. I have two kids in private college. They couldn’t get into the UC system for their majors because they were impacted. I pay 40K a year, per student. I am too rich to qualify for any aid. So any and all extra money we get to keep is going to private colleges.
Most people considered wealthy work just as hard as those who make less money, so it’s very difficult to not see Obama’s policies as nothing more than socialism wrapped in a pretty package and topped with a pinch of guilt.

Review date : 2008-09-12
Quite simply the best explanation of our current financial crisis I have read. Especially if the markets confuse and frighten you. I wish the book was called something else. The subtitle perhaps would have been better. Anyway. READ THIS BOOK

Those heroes of the Wild West as portrayed by John Wayne and others on the big screen over the years, where in reality very far from heroes. If they were around today they would probably be branded as terrorists and then exterminated by the law enforcement agencies they purportedly represented. The home of the true gambling hero was this rough world of cattle herding dominated by the saloon and the gambling den.

Cheap novelists such as Ned Buntline whose dime publications became popular across the land romanticized this world of rough justice and mayhem. Buffalo Bill got together a whole bunch of these people, many of whom had come believe their descriptions in the ?penny dreadfuls? and created a ?Wild West Show? that he took on tour. His real name was William Frederick Cody and he was nicknamed, Buffalo Bill because of the dubious accolade of having managed to kill 4,3000 buffalo in a mere 18 months. Wild Bill Hickock, the quirky legendary marksman insisted on wearing 2 pistols even when asleep. Ironically he was killed during a poker game in Deadwood City. When he was shot by a publicity seeker whilst he was holding what has come to be known as the ?dead man?s hand? in poker, aces and eights.

Calamity Jane was a far cry from the character Doris Day portrayed. Martha Jane Canary was an ex-Pony Express rider whose shooting was good enough for Buffalo Bill to include her in his show. In reality it was amazing she could hit any target with a pistol, as she was a chronic alcoholic and inveterate gambler. Belle Starr was not really very different either. Her most famous poker line was ?a pair of six shooters beats a pair of sixes any day!? I don?t think any of us can argue with the logic behind that! She had a child by Cole Younger, married outlaw Jim Reed and after his death teamed up with an Indian named Sam who aided her in her very successful horse stealing business based out of Dallas.

What about Blly the Kid? Like many of his contemporaries he spent most of his time underage drinking in saloons and gambling parlors and had killed 21 men before he caught a bullet himself at the tender age of 21. Pity how all of this punctures the romanticized balloon on the noble Wild West, the last frontier. But then if people had known the truth Hollywood would have had huge problems of coming up with those ?westerns? that portrayed a world of honor and opportunity many of which have achieved cult status as movies. In reality, however, this was another ?spin job? as nothing could be further from the truth!

Interested in this subject? Try this link for more of the same

http://www.gamblingheros.com